M6 Birmingham on a Sunday Morning

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
View Threaded
Fri 16 May 2014 01:07
M6 Birmingham on a Sunday Morning - Smileyman

I'd appreciate some advice from anyone familiar travelling the M6 motorway around the Birmingham area on a Sunday morning - travelling north (towards Lancashire)

The question simple - to use the original M6 past spaghetti junction, or use the M6 toll? Journey speed is the key factor, I'd prefer avoid the toll road, but if the M6 is likely to be slow because of congestion at this time of day then I will use the toll road.

Many thanks for your assistance

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 16 May 2014 08:26
M6 Birmingham on a Sunday Morning - gordonbennet

M6 North on a Sunday AM should be fine through this section, all the works have finished.

Beware if returning the same way, at Junction 10 they are repairing a section of the inside lane so instead of 4 available lanes under managed motorway scheme, the hard should is (or was Tuesday when i used it) a segregated lane which has to cope with joining traffic at 10 as well...the inside lane coned off and dug up, the second and third lanes free, this has obviously been causing issues, so suggest having a look across and see what this section is like on the Northbound journey if you are going to return this way....suspect Sunday evening will be a blighter, daytime mornings are....course the section might be repaired by now though and all free running again.

Aside from this question, i wonder why the HA bothered making the whole of Birmngham section managed motorway, when the hard shoulder is open for running lots of people won't use it and travel up the inside lane at 10 or more mph slower than normal speed causing their usual mayhem for others (yes i and lots of others cruise by them on the inside when all lanes are busy), and when its closed for running you find people on it.

Edited by gordonbennet on 16/05/2014 at 08:28

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 16 May 2014 09:14
M6 Birmingham on a Sunday Morning - Bromptonaut

My son is at Uni in Liverpool and we have family friends in N Wales so I face this one quite often. If we used the toll every time it'd be costing over £100pa.

I'd agree with GB that Sunday AM, certainly before the shoppers are about (from around 09:30), you'll have no trouble at all on the Brum section excepting accidents etc. Only precaution is to watch the gantry messages and keep your radio tuned for traffic flashes.

There is a third option if your start point is south or east of M6/M1 junction. Use M1 to Junction 24 (not 23A as signage may direct) then the A50 to Stoke. At Stoke end, by Brittannia Stadium, take A500 south to pick up M6 at J15. You can follow A500 (known locally as the D road) north to M6/J16 but likely to be slow as it's effectively ring road for Newcastle u L and Potteries.

I last used it on Easter Monday when M6 was stop/fly/stop all the way after (and probably before) Thelwall. The A50 was clear. I know GB would reccommend this as well

Edited by Bromptonaut on 16/05/2014 at 09:17

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 16 May 2014 09:56
M6 Birmingham on a Sunday Morning - gordonbennet

Yes used it many times Bromp, however arriving weekdays at Stoke at peak morning times can be horrendous, and like everywhere else in the country getting worse every year, seem to be regular accidents on the dualled section at Stoke as kamikase pilots enter an already jammed dual road 40mph faster than the traffic already on it.

We reckon on a clear run both ways, same speed, going via A50 takes 15 minutes longer than M6, you can only judge each journey on its merits.

edited...Bromp's already mentioned about 23a junction...note to self, read the piggin post.

As you mention, if i use that route i too tend to turn left onto the A500 and rejoin M6 at jct 15, the traffic light controlled jct 16 can get very congested too.

M6 the whole road has become a car park, Friday afternoons especially, no thanks, but the alternatives are all just as bad, Friday PM's are hopeless on the road.

Edited by gordonbennet on 16/05/2014 at 10:08

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 16 May 2014 18:53
M6 Birmingham on a Sunday Morning - Cyd

You haven't actually said where you're going from and to (though you hint at travelling up past Manchester).

I live in Lutterworth, just north of the Catthorpe intyerchange and M6J1. I go up the M1 to J24 and across the A50, round Stoke on the A500 and join the M6 at J16 whenever I visit my parents. Return the same way. It's about 5 miles more than just using the M6, but I find it a much better route.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 16 May 2014 20:09
M6 Birmingham on a Sunday Morning - Smileyman

thanks for the comments made

good point - travelling from foot of M11 to the end of the M62 in Liverpool, unless I am aware of any major delays the route will be M11, M25, M1, M6 then M62. The only doubt I have is around Birmingham, hence my question.

If I am aware of problems on the M25 or M1 (other than M25 widening Essex in to Middlesex which I experienced last week) I might use M11, A14 and link to M6 but I'd rather not as so much of the route has two lanes and this has a greater potential to be a rollercoaster with slower traffic (60mph) in lane 2.

Travelling back same day in the evening, but I'm already mentally conditioned to a nightmare journey with traffic delays and the usual poor lane dicipline so often experienced these days on UK motorways (ie use lane 1 if it is clear, it is not 'the lorry lane')

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 16 May 2014 20:20
M6 Birmingham on a Sunday Morning - gordonbennet

Oh dear Smileyman, suggest you leave as late as possible on the Sunday evening, safe journey.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 17 May 2014 15:30
M6 Birmingham on a Sunday Morning - Cyd

In that case I really would suggest you use the A50

On a Sunday evening I usually leave my parents (Altrincham) at about 8pm. The M6 is normally busy and a a bit fast-slow, but I'm only going from J19 to J16 so usually stick with it. Sometimes though I'll take the country route out to Knutsford and pick up the A50 south and stay off the M6 completely. Usually get on to the M1 about 9pm and it's nowhere near as busy as the M6 was and usually flowing nicely.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link